- Local artisans unite to wish dads a hoppy Father's Day -

by Helen CampbellJune 11, 2018

We're clearly biased but we do think our Hops mugs would make a super Father's Day gift. We've put together a bit of info about the Hops mugs, the idea and the artist behind them and a few snippets of info about Mugly in general.

The hedgerows of Herefordshire and the Welsh borders have provided inspiration for a limited-edition Father's Day gift with a difference.

Hay-on-Wye-based artist Lizzie Harper has teamed up with local mug specialist Helen Campbell, from Mugly, to create the ideal mug for anyone who likes beer.

It features the common hop, Humulus Lupulus, which is used to make beer and is also found in hedgerows.

Indeed, Lizzie picked the hops locally so she could capture them in watercolour, before Helen had the illustration screenprinted on to fine bone china.

Mugly is a new company based near Hay-on-Wye, and Mugly mugs can be found in Hay Market every Thursday. Local shops have also flocked to stock the beautiful designs, each of which is produced as a limited edition.

Mugly founder Helen Campbell, 40, works with local artists and UK-based screenprinters to create both china and enamel mugs.

She said: "I have worked at a desk for most of my life and creating something that I can sell in the market and through local businesses has really brought me closer to my community – and is such great fun. The focus is on quality and creating limited, beautiful gifts, which are not mass-market."

Mugly was launched in January 2018 and artists including Jessica Watkins, Lizzie Harper and Ed Ap Llwyd have already helped create mugs showcasing their work.